The Air Force has awarded a bronze star medal to Lt. Col. Doug Melancon for his actions while deployed to Afghanistan to support the US Army’s 4th Brigade as an electronic warfare officer on Joint Task Force Paladin, reports the Weekly Citizen. Melancon currently serves at the Air Staff.
The Air Force is requesting about $141 million for initial enlistment bonuses in its fiscal 2026 budget, while Space Force wants $13 million.